Donor Stories

The Values of Success

"A young, energized, hard-working UW grad is an extremely valuable asset," he says. That's why he and his wife Jessica established a College of Business Dean's Excellence Fund that was supported in part by the Wyoming State Matching Program.

"Bud's career and gift have set high benchmarks for young graduates of the University of Wyoming College of Business," says Brent Hathaway, dean of the college. "Bud and Jessica's commitment will go a long way in helping the College of Business send future graduates down their own roads to success."

The impact of excellence funds on College of Business students cannot be understated. They have been used to attract and reward UW's most promising students through supplemental scholarships and graduate assistantships, to give students opportunities to develop networking skills and to forge relationships with mentors, for student research expenses associated with the BBB Torch Awards (a competition to recognize companies that demonstrate exemplary management practices, honesty, and integrity), to bring executives to campus to share their expertise, and for domestic and international student travel to business ethics competitions, conferences, and study abroad.

"I would advise students to take full advantage of the opportunities that are provided to UW students," says Bud. "I believe that the breadth of your experience and skills is the only thing that will limit you. Also, don't be scared or intimidated because you are young."

Excellence funds such as this one help provide these opportunities. They are among the most highly valued and strategically useful private investments because of their flexibility and because they allow the college to react quickly to invest where the need is greatest and the potential for success is highest.

"Jessica and I established the fund because we wouldn't be where we are today without the University of Wyoming," says Bud. "We have been continually impressed with Dean Hathaway's leadership and vision with respect to the College of Business and wish to support him, his team, and the university."

Bud is a great example of success. After receiving B.S. in economics with an emphasis in natural resources and environmental economics from UW, he worked in commercial real estate, agriculture, and natural resources lending and development for Centennial Bank of the West (now Guaranty Bank and Trust). He was then executive vice president and chief credit officer of the newly founded First Western Trust Bank, which was honored as one of Inc. Magazine's top 500 fastest growing financial institutions in the country. Then after establishing his own investment securities consulting firm RWN3 LLC, Noffsinger became a director at Synergy Resources Corporation, a development-stage oil and gas exploration and production company.

"To be honest, I don't get very caught up in thinking about success," says Bud. "Success is a result and I prefer to stay focused on the process as opposed to the result."